Researcher

Institution: Missouri University of Science & Technology
Advisor: Cihan Dagli

Mr. Harkness currently works as an engineer in support of Boeing’s enterprise technology strategy. He is a former member of Boeing’s Payloads Concept Center and Advanced Future Concept team, developing unique solutions that push the frontier of what’s possible inside Boeing. As Boeing’s first SERC Fellow, Mr. Harkness is the first SERC Doctoral Fellow and holds several patents. Studying at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Mr. Harkness’ research hypothesis proposes a creative and innovative approach in system engineering architecture by creating a unifying innovation principle governed by design decomposition (genetic programming), facet-wise models (fuzzy logic), and integration utilizing dimensional analysis (modeling & simulation) over the entire life-cycle. This method evolves a mainstay and familiar concept known as set-based concurrent engineering (SBCE) into a system capable of handling complex architectures. In addition, Mr. Harkness co-founded the Boeing Employee Ability Awareness Association (BEAAA), Boeing United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN) chapter, and the Boeing Deaf Employees and Friends (BDEAF). In addition, he has received Boeing’s Diversity Change Agent Award three times for his work and was the recipient of the 2016 Steven M. Atkins Ability and Achievement in Science, Engineering, and Technology Award. He says that his passion is to bring in and introduce the latest and greatest ideas that combine humanism and technology.

Education:

• B.S.  from California State University, Chico
• Certification from University of Washington
  
• M.S. from Drexel University